Three Ghosts
by Gestalt Of The Ghostwind
Summary: It's Christmas in Neptune and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future are going to have to work double time to save not only a worthy soul but also Veronica's life when the EString Strangler escapes from jail! Finally finished! R,R and Enjoy!
1. Ch1 The Green Room

Authors Note: This is a not for profit fiction that rips not only from Veronica Mars but from Dickens Christmas Carol as well as a few others. Reviews, as always, spur updates. So speak up if you enjoy!

-Gestalt

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Neptune California produced a lot of things; software millionaires, either spoiled or disgruntled teens, myriad conspiracies and lately… Dead people.

Not that you'd notice that last one so much if you lived in Neptune. But it was becoming an increasingly obvious fact to the people spending their afterlife there.

Lynn Echolls fluttered happily about the afterlife. "Places! Places everyone!" She called out to the bustling crowd while clutching her clipboard. "We're down to the wire people! Let's make this happen!"

Mr. Fennell, a small and wiry man who had followed his sons and wife to town, smiled at Lynn as she passed and she blushed slyly in reply to Wallace's step-dad.

"How's this look Mrs. E?" A voice called out.

"Oh! That's perfect Gustavio! I wouldn't change a thing dear… Except your hair. Do something with your hair before you go on, will you? That's wonderful."

"Mrs. Echolls?" A meek voice asked softly. "What do you think of this dress?"

"Meg, please, call me Lynn and…" Lynn stepped back and gasped slightly. "Oh, Meg! It's stunning!"

Aaron Echolls slid up beside her. "Lynn! I don't know how anyone expects me to…"

"Aaron!" She barked, silencing both him and those close by. "You're helping some old friends and you're not in The Pit. Now shut up and sit down!"

"Yes dear." He shrank away.

Lynn beamed at Meg. "Oh, don't you just love Christmas? I just love Christmas!"

"It's a good time for this." Meg said slyly. "I miss being involved… Over there."

Lynn looked down at her clipboard and Meg interrupted her.

"Is it true?" Meg said it softly but it silenced the entire crowd all the same. "About Lilly? About…" But she couldn't go on.

Lynn swallowed slightly and then looked out to the group. Tears stung at the back of her astral throat and she took a long, slow breath in through her nose before she smiled. "Please, gather around, everyone…"

And the large crowd moved in to surround her, giving her their undivided attention.

"A lot of you have questions… _About Lilly_. And that's understandable considering the situation… But we have two missions to accomplish tonight."

Everyone hung, almost embarrassed, on her words.

"We have two souls to save and only one night to do it!"

Everyone murmured in appreciation and agreement.

"… And I know we can make it happen." She added softly.

And again, the crowd felt a swell of agreement and camaraderie of focus.

"When we've done that… I promise. I will tell you everything I know. But for now…" She smiled.

"Let's do this thing!" Someone called out from the back of the crowd and they broke in to a cheer and each broke for their position.

All, that is, but one.

Lynn stepped up and took Curly Muran's hand in hers. "Are you ready?"

He looked like he'd been crying and he nodded repeatedly.

It was well known that David 'Curly' Muran harbored a lot of residual guilt about his all-but-accidental involvement in the Neptune bus crash.

"Are you sure I can't…" He swallowed and looked down at his feet. "I thought, if they needed someone to…"

"David." She smiled. "You've got the right job tonight already. You'll see. I promise."

He smiled sadly and meekly. "If you say so Lynn. I'm behind this all the way."

"I know you are." She patted his arm. "We all do. Now, places, right?"

He nodded and shuffled quickly off to make his final preparations.

Lynn took a deep, cheerful breath.

She knew it would happen.

She knew they could do it.

Before tonight was over… They were going to change the world.

"People, places… I can feel it coming… In five, four, three…" She held up two fingers, then one and then clenched her fist over her head and…

The theme song began.

_**A long time ago**_

**_We used to be friends_**

_**But I haven't**_

_**Thought of you lately**_

_**At all…**_


	2. Ch2 ChristmasEve Eve

Dick Casablancas froze in his tracks. _Damn_! He swore to himself. _It's Ghost-girl again_!

And sure enough, across the street and with her back to him stood Cindy 'Mac' Mackenzie.

She stared lazily through the shop window. Inside a large and elaborate window display showed a series of small mechanical figurines ice-skating together.

They moved and flowed together in a wonderful symmetry and Mac almost smiled… Until she saw the one solo figure in the corner.

It was a small mechanical loner, ice-skating on plywood and blue-white paint…

_It's just like real life_… Cindy realized, seeing that the lone skater was the only one in the display who wasn't painted with a smile.

And She turned slowly and walked away.

Dick went to walk away too and found himself face to face with his polar opposite – Eli Navarro.

Eli was heavier and more heavily packed than Dick remembered. "What? Did you bulk up in prison or something?"

Eli smiled wryly. "Actually, yeah."

And Dick swallowed nervously. "Oh."

"But all I really want to know is if you just happened by, or if maybe you were following someone…" And Eli glanced to Mac's now retreating form.

Dick had a flip answer about following a better 'ass' than hers on his best day… But he stopped himself short.

Dick didn't know his pain was tied to hers like it was. The last time they had come face to face he had blurted out that she was nothing more than his brothers 'beard' and that she meant nothing to him.

Only later did he realize how wrong that had sounded and maybe even actually been from her perspective.

In Dick's mind, he had been betrayed far worse and for far longer than she had. At the time he had said it, through a small ocean of vodka, he had actually been angry with her.

He was angry that she had split Beavers attention. He was angry that she bolstered Cassidy's confidence and allowed him to challenge Dick on his level. But mostly, all he felt was confused frustration because the person he was angry at was the person he wanted even now to protect…

Even though he was so long gone…

"I'm just shoppin' dude." Dick dropped his eyes in regret and embarrassment and Eli saw the shame play across his face.

Eli nodded a few times and looked around, breaking the tension between them. "Well, we shouldn't disappoint the elves. They've been workin' hard all year. I suppose you should get shopping." He stepped back, slightly quicker than he'd normally done, as though out of respect for the emotion he'd seen a moment ago.

Dick dropped his eyes and his head and turned quickly away. He shoved his hands in to his pockets as he walked and then, just before Eli looked away, he saw Dick pull his one hand free and wipe at his eyes.

Eli looked down and swore softly to himself. Nothing brought him lower than having to feel bad for some rich boy. But sure enough, here he was, at six o'clock on Christmas-Eve Eve.

He watched Dick slip in to a shop and vanish.

His eyes darted across the street to a liquor store and he frowned slightly before setting off.

A moment later Eli found himself standing just outside the door as Dick exited the shop.

Dick rolled his eyes in exasperation. "What? Is it Piss-On-A-Casablancas Day or something?" He demanded.

Weevil laughed and opened his jacket to reveal a large bottle of Rum. "I thought it might be Get Pissed-With-A-Casablancas Day. But I don't know, you tell me."

"This isn't like an invitation to dinner or something is it?" Dick grinned slightly. "Because you know I don't swing that way."

Weevil turned and began to stalk off. "Sorry I was nice. Merry-Friggin-Christmas…"

But Dick caught him by he arm. "Whoa dude I…" He shrugged. "Sure. Let's crack it open. I've got nowhere to be for…" He looked at his watch. "Sixteen days. I am wide open_." What's time to a hog?_ He wondered to himself.

And Weevil smiled at him although, somewhere at the back of his mind, he wondered if it was true; could Dick Casablancas really have nothing and no one to look forward to until school began again?

Up the road a little way Mac was climbing in to her car.

She stuffed a few small bags in to the passenger seat of her car as she dropped in behind the wheel.

Christmas was what Mac thought of as an inescapable family ritual that for most of her life she mostly enjoyed. But now…

It had been forever since she had felt any real pleasure. She could pinpoint the time, place and date of her last bit of earthly enjoyment.

And then it ended. Because the person who she took the greatest pleasure in had ended it forever.

Mac called herself numb but in reality she was just tired – and constantly feeling everything at once. She hated him and pitied him, loathed him and prayed for him. She doubted and blamed herself in a million ways and still felt the victim… But none of that would sort itself out tonight.

She sat up as she started the car and she saw them…

The minivan was full. The entire family was there.

It was the Sinclair family.

Her 'real' family… _Plus Madison_.

Mac forced herself to look away as the tears began to flow down her cheeks.

The Sinclair's were laughing. They were happy. Madison just gave it away. No one ever took it.

She put the car in drive and drove off without another look.

But there, just outside the jewelry store, stood one lone man staring out in to the street.

_Was that…? Her?_ He wondered. _She looks just like_…

"Daddy!" Madison shrieked happily, taking his arm and leading him toward the store. "They have these incredible diamond ear rings with the little sapphires around them! You just have to come and see."

"Sure." He smiled. "Anything for you honey, anything for…" But he choked on the words 'my daughter' and only managed to once again say "You."


	3. Ch3 Kingdoms and Horses

Logan swept in to his hotel suite with his arms full of packages and bags. He was smiling widely despite holding his mail in his teeth.

His message light was blinking on the phone and he settled his bags on the counter and picked up the phone.

"Logan Echolls." He told the operator downstairs.

"Yes, Mr. Echolls. We have a message for you… Trina sends her apologies but she wont be making it for your appointment."

The smile paled from his face and he ran his free hand through his hair. "W-what?"

"Trina will be unable to make your appointment sir." The voice intoned. "That's the whole message."

Logan swallowed. "T-thank you." He said softly and he hung up.

"Our appointment." He laughed slightly. "Our appointment, Trina?" He asked out loud. Then his eyes fell to the counter and it's mass of gifts and food and he deflated a bit. "It's Christmas… Trina… Not just… An _appointment_."

"Jumpers, all our jumpers, over here please!" Lynn called out and slowly but surely six nervous figures surrounded her.

She smiled warmly. "I know you think I cast you in these rolls, Aaron – especially you. But I didn't. God did the casting when our proposal was approved – which, again for Aaron – is why I didn't let you fight for creative control."

"Gotcha." Aaron said, dropping his head nervously amid the random chuckles.

"Anyway," Lynn continued "Here are the rules. Only your assigned person will be able to see and hear you. Animals as well…" She eyed the clipboard. "Oh, and if you happen in to the person who killed you for those of us who were murdered, your killer can see you too. In which case you're allowed to haunt them only so long as it's in the best interest of your mission."

A few spirits groaned reluctantly.

"Now, we've got a very tight schedule once we get moving so I want everyone to stay together with your team and stay close to the monitors so we can start the very moment everyone on Earth is in place."

Everyone murmured in alert agreement.

"I don't have to tell you what's at stake here. And I don't have to tell you that… I know you're the perfect people to get it done." She smiled demurely. "But I am a little jealous. Earth for Christmas… It's the theme of the season somehow, isn't it?"

Everyone nodded slightly and some people cleared their throats in agreement.

"And I know it won't be easy for some of you." She met their eyes and they knew whom she meant. "So I just wanted to say that… I am proud that each and every one of you agreed to do your part tonight. I am so proud… Of all of you."

"Even Me?" Aaron asked.

"Almost." Lynn replied causing a stir of laughter and playful mockery of the actor as Lynn slipped off.

Aaron stopped and caught Gustavio Tombs by the arm. "Hey, do you know what Lynn was talking about? About Lilly?"

"Yeah, I know what happened to Lilly." The Reaper smiled at him. "You killed her."

And another round of laughter at Aaron's expense seemed to surround him. "I meant after that. Now. Where is she? I can't believe she'd skip something like this…"

Gus just shrugged. "Lynn's got the 411 on all that. All I really know is she's missing…" he looked thoughtful. "Unless…"

"Unless what?" Aaron prodded.

"'Chu didn't kill her again, did you?" He asked with all seriousness, causing another series of whoops and hollers at Aaron's expense.

Meg took pity on Aaron and pulled him aside. "You have heard the rumors, haven't you? About Lilly?"

"No." Aaron shook his head. "What rumors?"

Meg bit her lip and thought for a moment. "Well, the last time anyone saw her is a good place to start, if you really want to think about it." She swallowed slightly and backed away, apearantly having said her peace.

Aaron stepped back and rubbed his chin for a moment then he turned to the monitors and quietly spoke. "Please display the last Eathly appearance of Lilly Kane."

The monitor flashed away to reveal Veronica Mars standing before a school bus.

"Lilly?" She asked, following a blur only to find Weevil.

_This is the day of the bus crash_… Aaron realized. _She kept Veronica off the bus…_

Keith Mars stood at the rail, staring out over the Grand Canyon, his coat fluttering slightly about his knees.

A slight smile played about his lips and he held the phone gently to his ear.

"You've reached Veronica. You know what to do. **Beep**!"

"Hey honey. I just got your message. But don't worry. I caught McClain this morning so I'll be back in plenty of time for Christmas. See you soon." He closed his phone and smiled. _Who wouldn't love a job that takes you to the edge of the world and back again just in time for Christmas? _

He smiled again, watching the morning sun dance over the myriad colors of the canyon.

It was moments like this that Keith Mars lived for. It was the rarest kind in his opinion… The kind where a man couldn't help but notice that he was the king of his own personal universe.

Roughly two hours later he was twenty minutes away and still stuck in traffic.

It was at that precise moment in time that he realized he should have stayed at the Grand Canyon for as long as the feeling lasted, because in the end of all things… He'd traded his kingdom for a horse.


	4. Ch4 Old Aquaintance

While the Sinclair family happily sang carols on their way back from the their shopping Mac stared out the window at the lights of Neptune.

From her bedroom window all she could see were the garish, blunt displays that her neighborhood featured. Just once she would like to string the house in plain white or silver strands and be done with it.

This year her father was actually dressed like Santa and standing on the roof while waving to traffic.

Another horn blasted as the car passed her house.

"Ho-ho-ho." She said softly along with the distant echo of her father outside.

In the distance the radio was repeating Christmas carols, occasionally interrupted by some urgent sounding news updates.

She closed her eyes and Mac was almost asleep, teetering on the edge, only vaguely aware that somehow, she was missing something very, very important…

Lynn passed by quickly. "Get ready Meg. You're almost up!"

Meg smiled and flashed a double 'thumbs-up'.

Aaron sidled up to her. "Meg… Ummm… Was Lilly here when you got here?"

Meg smiled slyly, avoiding Aaron's gaze. "No." She said softly. "None of us bus-crash-kids saw here. She's been missing all this time."

"Hunh." Aaron commented for lack of comment.

"I have to get ready." She slipped away.

"Oh, sure." Aaron said to the empty air beside him. _Veronica would know what this means_… He thought. _In fact… I wonder_…

Aaron re-approached the monitors. "Show me Veronica Mars, right now."

Veronica coughed as she appeared on the monitor.

For a moment Aaron was confused but then he noticed that all of heaven had fallen silent. When he looked around he saw that Veronica was now on all the monitors, coughing and banging from inside some enclosed space, obviously trapped.

"Damn!" Lynn cursed out loud. "Okay everyone! Monkey-wrench!"

Weevil and Dick laughed as they fought to remain standing.

"Come on, just one drink." Eli said to the large Latino bartender.

"For you, sure." He replied. "But that… Dick will have to go somewhere else."

"How do you know his name?" Eli asked slowly.

The bartender paused and looked between them both for a minute before replying "His name's Dick?"

And Dick and Eli burst out laughing before the bartender reluctantly poured them two shots out of holiday guilt and mild embarrassment.

"Bartender burn." Dick smiled, taking the shot. "Ouch." And then he belched and they broke in to mad laughter once more.

Sheriff Lamb knocked soundly on the door and it swung open.

"Good evening Mrs. Fennel." Lamb breathed quickly. "I'd like to speak to your son Wallace, or Veronica Mars if she's here."

"Wallace!" She called out behind her. "Are they in some kind of trouble officer?"

He shook his head. "I hope not mam."

"What is it mom? Oh!" He stopped at the sight of Lamb. "What's up?"

"Have you seen Veronica Mars in the last twenty four hours?"

Wallace shook his head. "No. I had plans. Why?"

"It could be nothing… Her father's out of town and we've been unable to locate her. Do you know if she's still friendly with the Echolls boy?"

"Yeah. She is. What's this about?"

Lamb took another deep breath. "Hopefully nothing. But … The E-String Strangler escaped two days ago. Items found in his cell indicate that he's become fixated on the Mars family."

"Oh my god!" Felicia shook in fear.

Wallace flashed with rage and concern and his mother took hold of him. "I gotta go look for her!"

Lamb passes each of them a business card and shook his head. "Call us if you hear anything. You're talking about a killer here, so don't do anything stupid."

He turned and took two steps before Wallace's voice stopped him.

"Can you imagine what Keith Mars will do to you if his daughter dies on your watch?"

Lamb cast a hard glance over his shoulder and was met by an equally hard one in return. As he spun around and continued to his car he had to admit… It was a thought-provoking question.


	5. Ch5 BOO!

Lynn sat back and let her mind wander for a moment. She could only imaging what her old friend Celeste Kane would say about the wheels of heaven stopping on a dime to accommodate Veronica Mars.

The words drifted through Lynn's mind in Celeste's voice: _Oh, if there was a television show about Neptune I'm sure they'd want to call it Veronica Mars! I swear! That girl just thinks she's the center of the universe!_

Lynn exhaled an imaginary breath and looked at her watch. She jumped up and made her way towards the jump zone. "Alright. Meg, Aaron… We're sending both of you down… This is going to be a rough ride but we've got no choice. Aaron, you can act independantly until we need you but then you're on our time. And, if either of you miss your schedualed return trip… You're stuck there. Except you Aaron…"

"I know." He swallowed tearsely. "They'd send someone for me… Or _something_."

"Okay!" Lynn called out as the wind began to swirl and lightning began to crackle. "Good Luck!" She called out, but the sound was lost.

Then, a great blue flash of lightning struck them and they vanished.

The astral plane rose to its feet clapping and whooping with success.

"Good luck." Lynn said in a whisper. "Good luck."

Somewhere below, a man on a rooftop – who happened to be dressed like Santa – blinked twice and rubbed his eyes.

For just a moment he thought he had seen a silent bolt of blue lightning touch down in the middle of the street.

Aaron and Meg arrived with an unceremonious thud as they landed on their butts in the middle of the street. Aaron stood up quickly and helped Meg to her feet.

"Where… I thought this was suppose to put me in her bed room. Which … Which house is it?" Meg peered around.

"God help me… I think it's the house with the 'Nascar Forever' bumper sticker in the driveway." Aaron pointed. "It says Mackenzie on the mailbox."

Meg eyed him. "Don't be a snob." She pulled away from him. "Thank you for the help, but I think you should be going now."

Aaron nodded twice and sobered his thinking. "Of course."

And Meg turned, hiked up her dress, and paraded right up through the wall in to Mac's… Bathroom.

Two left turns later she was standing over the sleeping Mac and she reached her astral form out to shake Mac's astral form awake.

Mac's eyes shot open as her spirit departed her body… Then she fell through the bed frame and landed on the floor.

Meg sat stunned, barked a little laugh and reached in to the bed, grabbing Mac's hand and helping her up.

When they finally faced each other Mac stuttered. "T-thanks… I.." Then she narrowed her eyes. "You're…"

"I'm Meg. Veronica's dead friend and mother of Duncan's love child." She did a little curtsy.

Mac crossed her arms but laughed. "I'm Mac. Switched at Birth Abuse Victim." She gave a little wave.

"I know." Meg confessed. "It's why I'm here."

"Why is that?" Mac raised an eyebrow.

"Check it out." Meg smiled and pointed at the bed, drawing Mac's attention to her sleeping form.

Mac stood shocked, staring down at herself. She even pinched her own arm and failed to wake up.

"Sorry Girl." Meg told her. "But you're due to be Scrooged."

"Excuse me?" Mac shook her head in disbelief.

"Trust me." Meg told her. "I'm here to do the Ghost of Christmas Past thing. Then you've got two more ghosts coming tonight."

"Okay…" Mac looked between Meg and her own unconcious form on the bed.

Meg's eyes began to tear up. "And you know why we're here, don't you?"

Mac wanted to say "Bad salad dressing from the back of the fridge?" But she refrained.

Meg walked over and made Mac look her in the eye. "Mac… We know about the pills."

Aaron pumped his arms and legs as he tore down the road. In his action adventure days he had thought that he could actually do those things he pretended to do in the movies.

But now, even with an astral body that did not tire and could not be harmed, he felt sadly lacking in his ability to save a life tonight.

A few moments later he saw the car in the parking lot and he dove right through the front doors of the corporation and down it's almost empty hallways.

The office was empty and Aaron spun in confusion. _Slow down… Think!_ He told himself.

Suddenly a toilet flushed and a small door at the back of the office opened to reveal…

"You Bastard!" Aaron exclaimed. "You killed me!"

"Holy Shit." Clarence Weedman, Head of Security for Kane Software, said softly. "I'll be damned."

"I hope so!" Aaron continued.

"What the f…" Clarence began.

"Oh, what's the use." Aaron threw his hands up in the air. "Don't soil yourself… I'm not here to get revenge from beyond the grave or anything…"

"You're not." Clarence said, accepting the fact.

"No… There's a really long waiting list for that." Aaron said, rubbing his chin as though lost in thought.

"This is it." Clarence said out loud. "This is a psychotic break, isn't it? Guilt and … and…"

"BOO!" Aaron screamed and Clarence jumped with a start. "Real enough for you now?"

"What do you want?" Clarence asked, watching Aaron walk through his desk as he approached him.

"I want us to stage a Christmas Miracle Clarence. I want you to save a life."

"Whose life?" He asked cautiously.

"Your own." Aaron met his eyes. "Because Duncan Kane would have you killed if he thought for a minute that Veronica Mars died because of you."

"I am in no way threatening Ms. Mars." He said, the confusion obvious on his face.

"But you're not exactly saving her either, are you?" Aaron pressed. "She's in danger and as of now, you know about it."

Clarence met his eyes. "And I take it that you would make this known to Mr. Kane should I fail to act?"

Aaron looked at him with a cold, hard gaze. "I think it would be safer to believe that I've already told him so and just proceed from there, don't you?"

And Clarence bit his lip and dropped his gaze.


	6. Ch6 Seasons Greetings

"Scrooged?" Mac swallowed. "Is it really that bad?"

"Mac, we know about the pills. We know what you've been saving them for." Meg said, her eyes betraying her tears. "So we have to do this, okay?"

Mac looked down at her sleeping body. She looked upset.

"Okay." She said softly. "Let's go."

Lynn smiled as she watched the monitor. "Now!" She called out.

And all through the astral people began to move. They turned huge gears made of cloud and small, tight steam-valves made of stone that caused volcanoes to plume the world over.

It took a hundred souls, working in unison, to finally make it happen. But then it began to happen!

Stars jolted and jarred from their positions and began to tumble backwards through the sky and the spirit world.

Soon it was all a blur – all space was filled with light and streams of movement – and then… It shattered!

As the light retreated it seemed to leave behind the details of the past, such as planets, stars, galaxies and souls.

But for Mac and Meg it was instantaneous.

"That was it?" Mac blinked, looking around.

Meg smiled lightly. "Look around. It's your room, isn't it?"

And Mac looked, much to her horror and embarrassment… It was her room. Absolutely swimming in home made Christmas decorations.

Mac eyed a flock of origami birds that hung in perpetual flight on the small tree she had crammed in to the corner. "I was going to make a thousand of these…" She reached out to touch one but stopped at the last moment and spun to face Meg. "I changed my mind. I don't want to do this."

Meg gave her a look of unparalleled compassion. "Oh, Mac… Everyone says that at this point. It's even in the manual."

"They make you read a manual?" Mac blinked twice.

"And go to seminars." Meg nodded.

Sheriff Lamb had simply stepped in to the elevator without looking. By the time he had spun around and presses the penthouse button he had processed what he had just seen.

Lamb looked over his shoulder. "Eli Navarro and Dick Casablancas."

"That's good." Said an all too drunk Dick who was fighting to stay awake and upright in the corner. "Now, can you remember your own name?"

Eli laughed despite himself and drew Lamb's attention. "And what about you Eli? I hear you're pushing a mop out at Hearst. What are you doing in the fanciest hotel in town?"

Eli smiled. "Maybe I'm slumming."

Dick chuckled, took one long deep breath… And passed out on his feet.

Eli saw him falling and jumped in to catch him. He managed to hook him around the waist as dick folded himself in half and began to snore loudly.

Eli could barely keep the taller boy from falling.

Lamb smiled wryly as the door opened and he went to walk away.

Weevil cleared his throat and Lamb stopped in his tracks. "Do you think you could help me with him?" Eli asked as though it wasn't obvious.

Lamb exhaled in a mockingly slow exasperation. "Yeah, fine. But this counts as your Christmas present."

Eli rolled his eyes. "Thanks!" He mocked. "It's just what I wanted!"

Logan knew the knock was unfamiliar and so he peered through the peephole. And there wad Dick Casablancas, hanging almost limp between Weevil and Lamb.

Logan opened the door with a jolt and his mind raced for explanations but could find none. "What the hell did he do?" Logan asked, looking between Lamb and Weevil.

Weevil smiled.

"I'm not here about your drunken room-mate. I don't suppose Veronica Mars is here, is she?" Lamb pressed.

"No." Logan shook his head. "Things are… complicated."

"Well, they're about to get more complicated." Lamb passed Logan a card. "Call me if you see her and be sure and let her know that The E-String Strangler escaped from jail and we believe he's headed to Neptune."

"Headed?" Logan asked. "Or already here?"

"Could be either." Lamb admitted. "No one's seen Veronica in almost 24 hours." He passed another card to a concerned looking Weevil. "Let someone know, if you hear from her."

Lamb took three steps for the door when his phone rang. "What? No. Slow down. Wait. WALLACE!"

He sighed and hung up.

"What is it Sheriff?" Eli asked cautiously.

"The Fenell boy just found The Mars' dog, Back-Up, outside their home. The dog had a bloody piece of pants-leg in his mouth."


	7. Ch7 Silver and Gold

Tears rolled down Mac's cheeks as they stepped outside her house.

Meg had been right, of course. She had once loved Christmas as though it were family.

Meg held out her arm. "You're supposed to take hold of my person and/or form, including any garment or adornment upon my person." She said smugly.

"Was that out of the manual?" Mac asked, wiping her eyes quickly before taking hold of Meg's sleeve.

"Verbatim." Meg said, brimming with a compassionate smugness.

"Where are we going?" Mac asked.

"Across town."

"Now!" Lynn called the mark and once again the machinery of heaven began to move.

Wheels turned and valves were opened and closed, diverting the ways and means of the world to suit the will of understanding within a willing soul.

Meg sneezed as it happened and it distracted Mac, so the whole thing went pretty well unnoticed.

"Oh my God. Lauren." Mac dropped to her knees beside her sister's bedside.

"It's all in the past Mac. She recovered. You've seen her since."

Mac stood up slowly. Her eyes betrayed a distance and depth to her emotions. "What's wrong with her?"

"She got sick from a flu shot." Meg said. "You're across town celebrating with your family and…"

"…I don't care Dick. Tomorrow. I said tomorrow!" Madison said loudly from the hall. Then the door opened.

Madison had a tray with soup, magazines and mad-libs. "Hey…" She said softly to her sister. "You want some company?"

Lauren stirred. "Logan's party…" Was all she said.

"Will be all the same old people as last time." Madison faked a smile. "And …"

"Thank you." Lauren smiled ever so slightly, snuggling down in to the blankets.

"I've got something for you." Madison told her. "An early Christmas present."

"Dad said not 'till Christmas." Lauren reminded.

"Well Dad's not here." Madison said with a wider smile.

And Madison produced a small white box tied with a red ribbon.

Lauren fumbled weakly with the ribbon and pulled the lid from the box. "It's your dolphin! From Mexico!"

Madison took the charm and chain from the box and unclasped it. She reached behind her sister and refastened it.

"I decided it looked better on you than it does on me." Madison smiled and her tears were showing. "And I know you always loved it."

Lauren looked suddenly guilty. "I'm sorry I scared everyone so bad."

Madison smiled. "You just get better… Then I'll make you pay for it." She teased.

"She… She's a really good sister." Mac said softly. "I didn't think Madison had it in her."

"She does have her moments." Meg agreed. "And this was an important one."

Mac wiped away another tear. "She did it right."

"Yeah." Meg agreed. "She did it right."

"The E-String strangler!" Logan threw his hands in to the air. "Merry Christmas!"

"You got any ideas?" Eli asked.

"No. I got nothin'." Logan ran his hands through his hair nervously.

"Who…" Dick began to stir. "You guys talkin' about the strangler for?"

"That was almost like a sentence." Logan noticed. "And yes, the E-String Strangler probably has Veronica."

Dick looked blown away. "Wow. Someone should check his house." He said plainly.

"He escaped from jail numb-nuts. He doesn't have a house." Eli dropped his head and rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's Christmas!" Dick insisted. "Everybody goes home for Christmas!"

"So where's he live? Hunh Dick?" Logan began to fly off the handle.

"Well when they arrested him he was living in his grandmothers basement." Dick shrugged. "It's one of those little brown houses right before the PCH… Across from Tori Hanks house…" Then Dick hiccuped. "Oh, no." He put his hand over his mouth and vaulted over the couch, headed for the bathroom.

The resulting sound of splatter said he didn't make it.

"Oh!" Weevil looked away disgusted.

"You're staying here and cleaning that!" Logan called out, then he met Eli's eyes. "You up for taking a ride?"

"Like you had to ask." Weevil smirked.

And Logan crossed the room to his dresser and opened the top drawer. He drew out the gun Mr. Casablancas had given him. "You don't have a problem with this do you?" He looked at Weevil expectantly.

"You got another one?" Was his only reply.

Veronica felt her way around the edge of her private prison. She could feel the plastic stripping around the door.

_A refrigerator. I'm in a refrigerator! _She realized.

She dug in with her nails and tried to force the rubber stripping away from the frame.

A small hole will do for air… She thought.

And then she stopped with a start.

Her fingers were wet.

The world shrank in or her almost claustrophobically.

_Oh no… _

_I'm under water! _


	8. Ch8 The Bumble

Wallace kept the Mars' spare key in his pocket but he pulled the door closed behind him when he saw the lurking shadow.

"Hey, you!" Wallace began to move toward Veronica's Saturn. "Don't move!" Wallace gripped Back-Up's leash in his left hand and her spare stun gun in his right.

Back-Up was barking in a frenzy and the form slipped and stumbled to the ground. "Don't!" He called out.

"Who are you?" Wallace demanded, trying to mentally compare this man to the killer he was hunting.

"I'm Vinnie! Vinnie Van Lowe! I'm looking for Veronica!"

Wallace let Back-Up get a few steps closer…

And Back-Up sniffed twice and licked Vinnie's hand.

"See!" Vinnie said finally. "He knows me."

"Lucky for you." Wallace shrugged. "Why are you looking for Veronica?"

"Same as you… She's missing…" Vinnie said sing-song style with accompanying annoying hand gestures as he rose off the ground.

"Her Dad called you." Wallace guessed.

"He didn't have to. Professional courtesy. I know he's out of town and I heard it on my scanner."

"I don't believe you." Wallace told him.

Vinnie shrugged. "Okay. My mom heard it on the scanner while I was in the can. But I'm here now and that's what's important."

"So what have you found?"

"Her purse is on the seat." He motioned toward the Saturn. "Keys are on the floor."

Wallace looked. The purses content was spilling and the keys in plain sight. "No way Veronica left it like this.

"Yeah. I'd say she was nabbed right here. I want to talk to the landlord." Vinnie looked around curiously.

"Come on." Wallace told him. "It's this way."

"What would you have done if I were the Strangler?" Vinnie asked.

Wallace let the stun gun crackle once in response. "I was gonna down you and let Back-Up eat you until you told me where Veronica was." He swallowed once. "And HOW she was would determine how much MORE got eaten." He shrugged.

Vinnie nodded almost seriously. "You're a little frightening."

Wallace agreed. "Yeah, maybe sometimes."

Weevil clicked his phone closed. "Hector's gonna round up the rest of the PCHers and head out looking for our guy."

Logan nodded as he sped through the traffic.

"She is going to be okay." Eli said confidently.

"What if she's not?" Logan asked without looking at him. "What then?"

"Then we finish him. No matter what it takes." Weevil said forcefully.

"Yeah? And what then?" Logan shot back.

But only silence followed.

"I'm just saying…" Aaron shrugged. "Maybe you went a little heavy on the anger in there."

Clarence shook his head and grunted in dismissal.

"Well, I do know a thing or two about staging a scene." Aaron added.

"I WAS NOT…" Clarence calmed himself. "I was not staging a scene. I was going to shoot them if they didn't tell me what I wanted to know."

"And I just think that if they were a little less scared they might be a little more forthcoming." Aaron trumped. "That's all."

"You…" Clarence shook his head. "I want to make sure we have this strait! If I save the Mars girl you will LEAVE, right?"

"Hey!" Aaron replied. "I've got another haunting across town! I'm in demand. You're the lucky one here…"

"And EXACTLY how is that?" Clarence asked. "Because I'm not sure the company is worth it."

Aaron met his eyes with a mournful understanding. "It counts for something when you save a life… Almost as much as when you take one…"

Aaron looked away out the windows.

"It's a good thing to have on your resume." Aaron added at last.

Suddenly both men seemed oddly content to endure the awkward silence between them and to simply leave it at that.


	9. Ch9 The Gift of Charity

A great golden light descended on Meg from above. A choir of angels sang through the ethereal and resounded the beauty of heaven.

She faded in and out of view for a moment and finally faded in to a series of vivid sparkles.

_Like on Star Trek_… Mac thought. _How odd._

Mac wiped her eyes again and she heard the angels again.

Another light descended and pulsed with the rhythm of creation.

Particles and light merges and twisted until it took the form of a chubby, balding man who smiled nervously at her.

"H-Hi." Mac said, breaking the ice and the unnatural silence.

"Oh, right…" The man pulled an index card out of the pocket of his Hawaiian shirt. "Cindy Mackenzie, I am the ghost of Christmas Present." He said very formally. "But you can call me Curly."

She smiled wider than she meant to and gave a small laugh. "Okay, Curly. Call me Mac."

"Okay." He said eagerly. "They don't tell us these things…" He swallowed nervously. "I've been looking forward to this…"

"I can tell." Mac could see the logic in it. They had sent a big kid to teach her to love Christmas. It was genius. "Are we supposed to…"

"Oh, right." He straitened up and offered her his arm like a proper gentleman.

She took it softly with a slight smile.

"We're off." He snapped his fingers and Lynn responded.

"Now!" She called out. And Heaven once again began to swirl and dance around them. This time, they held Mac and Curly in place, and spun all of reality underneath them - placing them right in the Sinclair's living room.

And suddenly heaven was thronged with a thousand people in choir robes who were still leaving who got bottlenecked with the thousand or so athletes who were running on the treadmills that spun reality to move them across town who were also on thier way out.

"Alright people!" Lynn called out. "I know you're all tired. But we've broken the back of it already and it's gone flawlessly thus far!"

Everyone gave themselves a round of applause.

Lynn clapped along. "You deserve it." She told everyone. "You really do."

"Then tell us about Lilly!" Someone called out.

And suddenly Meg was at her side. "Lynn… Is it true?"

Lynn swallowed. "Okay!" She admitted. "I do know what happened to Lilly. And as soon as everyone's back, tonight… I'll tell you everything."

"Oh, this is great, isn't it?" Curly was wandering around the Mackenzie house, eyeing the decorations. "A real family Christmas…" He shrugged at her.

"I didn't really have a family." He confided. "Except when I was young…"

Lauren ran in.

"About her age!" Curly smiled wide as she went to the kitchen and began chatting with her mother.

"Lauren…" Mac smiled at her. It was good to see her happy after having seen her so sick.

Mac watched as the smile slowly faded from his face. "What is it?"

Curly nodded toward Lauren. "It's her, the poor thing."

"What do you mean?" Mac looked her over. Lauren looked happy enough.

"She's just one nasty disease away from kidney failure…" Curly swallowed. "God, I didn't want to tell you that part."

"But she'll be okay, right?" Mac stepped up. "Right?"

Curly pursed his lips. "That's a question about the future… I can only do the present."

"Well, they've got money. They could get doctors. Her parents could…" But Curly was shaking his head.

"Her father has a blood condition. He'd never survive the operation." He took a breath to steady himself. "And her… Your mother… She only has… one."

Mac felt as though the world were spinning around her.

"Mine." She said softly. "She could… I could give her…"

"Not if you took all those pills you couldn't." He said softly. "You'd be gone… Then she'd be gone…"

Mac felt the tears streaming, warm, down her face. "This isn't fair." She told him. "I couldn't know…"

But Curly wasn't accusing her of anything and she knew it.

"You know what dying taught me Mac?" He said softly. "It taught me that… We can't always tell the good from the bad when we're doing it. But when you know for sure that you can do some good…And you don't?"

He swallowed. "Let's just say that… Regretting something forever… Is a whole lot harder when you've actually got forever to do it in."

"Can … Will you take me home now?" Mac asked, her Face breaking as she began to cry in to her hands.

Curly's eyes were glistening and he voice was steeped in sadness as he answered. "I cant. Not yet… There's something you have to hear."

And he picked up the nearest phone and handed it to her.

She took it gingerly and heard the conversation on the line.

"Really Claire… Thank you for the gifts. The kids love them." Mr. Mackenzie sat down on the edge of his bed and Mac could see him as he talked on the phone. "… And … I know you always ask… I… I think I saw her today."

"Who are you… Oh. I…" The voice swallowed. "Did she look… well?"

"I don't know. It was so quick." He sighed. "I feel so guilty Sissy. Do you know what I thought?"

"What is it?" Said the voice, radiating concern.

"I thought… I thought that maybe… I only wonder about Cindy because I'm… Not a good enough father to Madison… Like…" He shook off the cobwebs. "I felt so bad, seeing her today, knowing I couldn't say anything without… Without … It's like abandoning Madison somehow…"

There was a pause on the line.

"I… I know it wasn't easy. Any of it." His sister told him. "But I do know this… Everything changes little brother. And maybe someday it could happen…"

"I don't see how… I don't know what could possibly…" He sobbed slightly.

Mac's eyes lit up and she set the phone back on the base. "Oh… Curly."

He smiled. "You see?"

"I know what could make this work… with Madison and me…"

And Curly nodded. "Amazing the kind of friends you could make… Donating a kidney."


	10. Ch10 Return of the Kane

"Leo!" Logan called out. "Deputy Leo!"

Eli had to run to keep up with Logan.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Leo said. "It's just Leo now. I'm not with the department any more."

"What are you doing here?" Logan asked. "Have you heard anything from Veronica?"

"No. I haven't." Leo confided. "I was just checking out the E-String Strangler's old place… But there's no one there." He looked up the hill behind them. "Then I saw this place… Back when Keith Mars and I caught the Strangler there was a painting of him, posing with a guitar in Viking helmet… I know how it sounds, but the background… It looks like that rise over there."

"Then let's go." Logan volunteered.

And the three began making their way up the steep embankment toward the distant sound of a lone electric guitar…

Veronica's head swam. Images of Logan and Duncan swam before her.

"Get me a microphone." Lynn called out. "Hook it to a monitor with Veronica on it."

"Over here Lynn!" Mr. Fennel called out.

Lynn strode confidently over to the camera. "Veronica…" She called out. "Can you hear me?"

Veronica shook her head to clear it. "No." She answered.

"Just hold on Veronica, okay?" Lynn asked. "Please?"

"Lilly?" Veronica asked. "Is that…"

"No dear." Lynn answered. "It's Lynn Echolls."

"Oh, Mrs. Echolls… "Veronica blinked twice. "Am I dead?"

Lynn swallowed. "No. You're not. You're just… Close."

"I don't want to die." Veronica began to cry. "It would ruin Christmas for… Dad…"

All across heaven, observant hearts began to break.

"Do you want to know a secret Veronica?" Lynn asked.

"I'm listening." Veronica sniffed.

"Lilly's not here any more Veronica. She's moved on."

"What do you mean?" Veronica asked. "Is she okay?"

Lynn smiled. "The last time I saw her… She called me and asked me to hold her place." Heaven gasped. "Because she was being reborn and she needed to get out of her body to warn you…"

"About the bus crash!" Veronica realized. "Oh my God! Is Duncan's baby…?"

"That's right Veronica!" Meg called out. "Duncan's baby, my baby… Its Lilly! She's already back on Earth!"

Veronica began laughing and crying as she began to fade out of consciousness.

"I'm going to try to break out of here!" Veronica called out. "Even if it kills me!"

"Okay!" Lynn conceded. "But please, Veronica… Not just yet."

"You have to live through this Veronica!" Meg called out. "You have to tell Lilly how much I love her! Please!"

And suddenly Veronica had lost the voices to a darkness and silence akin to that of the grave.

Mac sat down on the edge of her bed. She had been crying and Curly sat with her, empathizing.

"I'm done." Mac said. "I'm not going to take the pills. I swear it. Can I just… can I just wake up now?"

Curly shook his head. "I'm so sorry. It doesn't work that way."

"Then how does it work?" She asked. "How do I get out of this?"

Curly shook his head. "Let me tell you something… There's a lot more happening behind the scenes here than you can know. Like me, standing here… Did you know that every time heaven sends a soul to earth to intervene, they also have to send a soul to hell for the same amount of time?"

"You mean…"

Curly nodded. "That right now, Felix Tombs is sitting in Hell. Just so I can talk to you."

"Then go back! Get him out, get…"

"No." Curly said firmly. "He volunteered, like his brother Gus did and his friend Servando…" He laughed. "Those PCHers stick together…" He looked at her. "And they stand up for their own."

"I'm no biker Curly, I…" She crossed her arms and he interrupted her again.

"You're a good soul Mac. You _are_ one of _them_."


	11. Ch11 The Goddess Within

"Now this is living!" He raised his beer to the heavens. "A cold beer, a hot guitar and the slut whose father sent me to jail dying at my feet." He smiled wryly at the other two boys.

"You think she's dead yet big bro?" The shorter of the boys asked.

"Not yet." The Strangler told him. "But she's close. Less than an hour."

"Then we'll be killers too." The other boy grinned in delight. "We're gonna be famous."

"When she's done I'll show you how to sign them…" He smiled down at the refrigerator at the bottom of the pool. "I love cramming them in so that they have to bow to me the whole time…"

Then he threw back his head and whooped loudly before adding "Rock-and-roll man! ROCK ON!"

"There's more." Curly said. "And you wont like it Mac. I'm sorry."

And the world spun beneath them yet again, this time leaving them standing on the bottom of an in-ground pool.

Water glistened over their heads and a refrigerator sat in the bottom of the deep end. It was laying on it's back and had multiple pad-locks and hasps holding it closed.

"Look inside." Curly said. "Go ahead. You'll pass right through."

Mac shivered. "What is it?"

"You mean _who_ is it." Curly told her. "Go on, look."

Mac lowered her head through the door and gasped.

"It's the E-String Strangler." Curly told her. "He broke out of jail with the help of his little brother and a family friend. Just greasy little punks really… Trying to be 'big men'."

"And this has been going on all this time? While you were talking to me?" Mac swallowed.

"All this time and before. She's been in there since last night."

"Oh my god… No…" She whirled on Curly. "Why Veronica?"

"Keith and Leo caught him. She was special to both of them." Curly shook his head. "It's such a shame."

"What are you telling me?" Mac asked. "That she's going to die?"

"Is it all that bad for Veronica to die?" Curly asked. "After all… You were saving those pills up for a suicide instead of taking them as prescribed… If the world could do without you by your choice why cant it do without her by their choice?"

"It's not right!" Mac insisted.

"Veronica has suffered as much as you have, right?" Curly asked. "Been equally violated and persecuted?"

"Yes." Mac said quietly. "But she's stronger than me…"

"Only because she had to be." Curly told her. "Just like you have to be now."

Curly raised his hand and they began to rise out of the water until they were standing just on the surface of the pool.

The would be killers were sitting on lawn furniture on the foundation of an unfinished house. The pool itself was built but unfinished.

"Watch." Curly commanded, pointing in to the pool. "See, there at the corner?"

"Air bubbles." Mac said. "But why would it be…" And it hit her. The refrigerator wasn't leaking. Veronica was trying to dig her way out.

"NO!" Mac screamed. "Veronica! Don't!"

"She can't hear you." Curly said sadly. "Just me and the animals."

"Hey Bro! Come look!" The brother pointed in to the pool. "It's flooding."

They rushed to the edge of the pool.

"What now?" The little brother asked.

The Strangler began to laugh. "Now that bitch is gonna drown!" The other two laughed too.

"See, if she wasn't in the pool she'd be getting air right now." He continued.

They stared down for a moment. By now water seemed to flowing pretty steadily through the small hole in the fridge.

The Strangler's brother looked at his older brother and smiled. "You sure do think of everything bro."

His brother struck an Elvis-Judo pose before replying. "You know it."

"Why are you showing this to me if we cant fix it?" Mac demanded.

Curly almost smiled. "Are you trying to tell me that you want the right thing to happen here? That you'd like a chance to do good where you can see it needs doing?"

"Yes!" Mac cried out. "You have to let me help! You have to let me save her!"

"That's a tall order for a ghost." Curly told her.

"But I'm not a ghost! I'm still alive!" She screamed.

"Yes, but not so much at the moment." Curly shrugged. "So… What do you think you can do?" He asked this last question with an accompanying eye gesture toward the parking lot below.

Mac didn't miss the clue and she looked down to follow his gaze. It took only a moment for her to see what he intended her to see and a moment longer to realize what it meant.

And for the first time since she arrived here… In fact, for the first time in over a year, she suddenly felt empowered.


	12. Ch12 Whims of Fate

Mac teetered on the edge of a smile just as she teetered on the edge of the hill overlooking the town of Neptune.

Below she could see the familiar form of Wallace Fennel. She suspected that the oafish form next to him was Vinnie Van Lowe. But none of this concerned her.

"Just you and the animals, hunh?" She smiled at Curly.

Curly blushed slightly. "Was that a little too obvious? I can never tell."

But Mac didn't answer. She took in the deepest breath a ghost can imagine and bellowed.

"BACK-UP! HERE BOY!" And she began whistling and jumping around, waving her arms.

""Whoa. Whoa! Heel boy!" Wallace told the dog. "What the…"

"Let him go." Vinnie said, stepping up with interest.

"What? We don't have time to be chasing this dog while Veronicas still…"

"He's a trained attack dog." Vinnie told him. "He's not going to go pounding off after a squirrel. He's on to something. Let him go."

And so, Wallace dropped the leash.

"Yes!" Mac cheered. "Come on boy! Good boy! Come on!"

Back-Up barked over and over in reply as he ran towards Mac. She could see Wallace about 30 feet behind the dog, fighting to keep up. Vinnie was another ten feet behind him and losing ground as they ran.

Mac whirled on the would-be killers and The Strangler. "You are all so busted!" She told them.

Back-Up continued barking as he ran.

"Hey, little bro… You hear a dog?"

"Yeah. I'll go check it out." He slipped over to the edge of the embankment and peered down. "Hey… We've got a couple of guys chasing a runaway dog over here… The dog is coming this way."

"So, we'll help them catch it. Nothing wrong with being neighborly this close to Christmas." The Strangler laughed.

"Ummm… Bro? I think that guy chasing the dog is Wallace Fennel. He plays b-ball at school… And he's good friends with Veronica Mars."

The Strangler approaced the edge himself. "Yeah… This looks like trouble. Let's get out of sight." He smiled. "But first…"

He lifted his zippo lighter and popped open the lid. With a snap of his fingers it was lit. He smiled slyly and he tossed the lighter in to the pool.

The pool exploded with a 'Whoosh".

The three punks stared down in to the flames.

"See how the gas sits on top of the water?" The Strangler asked. "She's either going to drown… or boil."

They couldn't even see through the fire at this point to the water below or the refrigerator within.

Leo, Eli and Logan saw the flash of light in the distance.

"What the hell was that?" Eli asked.

Logan shushed him. "There. You hear that dog?"

"Yeah." Logan shrugged.

"It's real familiar." And Logan took off on a run, bringing Leo and Eli in tow.

Mac stepped up to a new height and looked down.

Veronica's friends were flying at the mountain of earth, seemingly from all sides.

"You see?" Curly asked. "See how they're trying to save her?"

"Come on! Back-UP!" She called out. "Of course I do."

"It's funny, isn't it?" He pressed.

"What is?" She snapped at him, obviously wrapped up in the unfolding events.

"Life." He smiled. "When you get right down to it… We all chose life. For ourselves, for others… Even for the people who've hurt us."

She met his eyes and he continued. "Look at them. They're all here for one reason alone… Because the alternative… Is simply unthinkable."

"I think I get it." Mac said. "Lesson learned."

But Curly was shaking his head. "No. Not yet it's not." He swallowed. "You're thinking in the right direction… But they have one thing you don't have…"

"What?" She said softly, the pool burning behind her as the refrigerator filled with water through it's broken seal.

"Intensity of motivation." He said sadly.

"How… How do I get that?" She wondered.

He looked at her sadly. "By seeing things get worse… before they get better."

Mac blinked twice staring in to the fire.

"She is … going to be okay… Isn't she? Curly?" Mac looked over towards Curly.

But Curly couldn't hear her. He was bathed in a bright silver light and he only smiled sadly, and waved a small 'good-bye' wave with one hand as he faded in to the astral.

"CURLY!" Mac cried out. "Back-Up! Wallace! Somebody!!!"


	13. Ch13 Through The Years

Mac watched on in horror as Veronica's friends swarmed the scene.

Back-Up arrived first and cornered the Strangler's little brother.

Wallace arrive a moment later and spied the refrigerator through the flames. "Oh, hell no!" He exclaimed with a shake of his head before diving headlong in to the fire.

"Righteous!" The Strangler air-guitared in Wallace's honor. "Rock-n-Roll!"

"Lets." Said Logan from behind the Strangler and his all but worthless disciple.

The would-be killers whirled to find Leo, Logan and Eli standing amid a cloud of cracking knuckles and patience. It was only one heartbeat later when all hell exploded.

Logan flew at the Strangler in a furious rage and Leo leapt on the murderous stooge.

Vinnie closed the gap toward the flaming pool. "Oh my god! KID! KID!"

Eli spun on him. _Veronica_… The thought went through his mind and without hesitation he dove in to the flames.

Eli was greeted by a surprised Wallace pointing at the hole in the fridge and the padlocks.

Suddenly, Veronica poked a finger out of the gap and waved it slightly.

Eli thrust his hand in to the refrigerator; ripping the seal and making it flood faster.

Wallace grabbed the bottom half to pull down while Eli lifted the lid with all his might.

Then Eli adjusted his approach. He jammed his foot against the bottom and pulled with all his might.

Another splash sounded behind them and they saw Logan flying in to the pool back first at though thrown.

Logan spied them and swam like hell to get over just as Wallace mimicked Eli to force the lid open.

_This is it_. Eli thought_. She either dies now or we save her now. There's no second chance now. The box is too far open._

Wallace could feel himself blacking out. He had been underwater too long but he refused to leave without her. He threw all his weight in to it and pushed for all he was worth.

Logan grabbed the lid and dug his whole foot in the gap, stood on the fridge and pulled.

Finally, the door pulled free!

Veronica seemed to be floating lifeless, but her head moved slightly and suddenly Logan was on her and paddling for the flames above.

Wallace broke the surface first and inhaled a nasty combination of gas fumes and smoke. He struck at the water to try and keep the flames at bay.

Just then, The Strangler kicked away from Vinnie and hefted his stereo over his head.

"Fry little fishies!" He called out with a whoop, and then he threw the stereo towards the pool.

A single shot rang out but it was too late. The radio was trailing an extension cord in its wake and headed for the crowded pool.

"No!" Mac cried out in frustration as the radio arced ominously towards Wallace's head.

When suddenly…

Aaron Echolls stepped in front of Mac and put a hand to her shoulder. "Hi Cindy. I'm the ghost of Christmas Future."

"NO!" Mac pressed past him but the scene was gone and once again she was standing in the Sinclair house.

There were no decorations this year.

No lights and no cheer.

Mac could hear soft sobbing down the hall.

"Don't make me do this." Mac said. "Please…"

"It's really out of my hands." Aaron shrugged. "You can stand here all night… Or you can walk down the hall."

Mac swallowed. "I know what happened. Lauren died without my kidney. Now take me home!"

But Aaron simply shook his head and whispered. "Go see."

Mac walked slowly down the hall.

Madison was clutching a picture to her chest and sobbing.

It pained Mac in a way she never would have thought possible.

"It's not Christmas." Madison wept. "It's just not Christmas without you!" She clutched the picture tighter. "It's not fair!"

Her father stepped in to the room. "No Maddie. It's not." He sat down quietly on the bed. "But we have to be strong."

"Stronger than Mom?" Madison asked.

"Definitely." He said sadly. "Madison… Your mother just never recovered from … from losing Lauren but… Suicide is always wrong Madison. Always."

"Mom?" Mac said softly, thinking of that woman who pressed her hand to the window of her car, oh so long ago…

"It wasn't just Lauren, was it?" Mac asked Aaron from down the hall. "She never recovered from…"

"From losing her daughters. No. She didn't." Aaron finished. "From losing you, to suicide and then Lauren to disease. We thought you needed to see this."

Mac strode, angry, back down the hall and met Aaron's eyes. "That was a lousy thing to do."

Aaron took her shoulder and they warped down the hall in to Madison's room.

"This!" Aaron told her. "Is what you were meant to see."

And as Mac and Madison's father rose and left the room with a shaking breath, Madison – convinced she was alone – laid back the picture of herself, her mother and her little sister, from her chest in to her lap…

And she pulled a concealed razor blade from within the frame and then, very slowly, began contemplating her wrists.


	14. Ch14 Return Form Oz

Mac stood, shaken and crying in her room with only Aaron Echolls for company.

"I know why you saved those pills Cindy. You told yourself that if it ever got too hard, you could quit. The pills were there and you could just quit. But it didn't get that hard. So you didn't use them. But now, Christmas… The lack of joy was a pain to itself, I know."

She nodded.

"But it's time to let go now. It's time to forget the idea of quitting and just get through this. I promise… Next year will be better. And the year after that, even better… If you let it be."

"I will! I told you I will! What do you want from me?"

"Just one more thing Cindy." He grimaced. "I want you to remember."

"I will. I'll remember all of this. I swear it!"

He shuffled in place slightly. "That's good." He said. "But I need you to remember more."

"More?" She asked with a sinking feeling.

"You do know there was more, right?" He asked. "If you try you'll remember."

"Oh my God… No." She whispered. "I did it, didn't I?"

He nodded. "Just say it Cindy."

"I already took the pills, didn't I?" She shivered. "I took them and…"

"And now you're going to wake up." He told her. "You're going to run for the bathroom… And you're going to make yourself sick. OR ELSE!"

He shoved her violently and she fell back on to the bad and in to her body.

She jolted awake and through the bleary tears she threw herself across the room to the door and then down the hall to the bathroom.

"Cindy?" Her mother called. "Are you okay?"

"Ummm… Bad eggnog." She called back. "I'll be fine!"

And her mother smiled sympathetically. "Okay. Well, we've got gingerbread men in the oven if you're interested."

She heaved again and shook it off. "Thanks mom!" She called out.

And convinced that her daughter would be fine, Mrs. Mackenzie walked away.

The Strangler heaved the radio at the pool when he heard the shot.

He didn't feel it but he saw it when he looked down. A thick red stain was spreading across his chest.

Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as he peered down to the end of the pool where he could see Clarence Weedman, his smoking gun drawn, having just arrived on the scene.

Wallace gasped for breath when he saw the radio and it's bright orange extension cord headed down towards them in the flaming pool.

Without thinking he jumped as high as he could, imagining a tip-off in school.

He rose out of the water to his knees, framed in the flames, and he felt the dry, warm plastic of the radio on his fingertips.

He pushed off ever so gently and watched the blaring radio arc up and away from the pool, back the way it came.

It landed on the concrete rim, safe from falling in of it's own accord, and it shattered in to pieces.

Eli came up behind Logan and veronica, adding his strength to Logan's to heave Veronica out of the pool.

She coughed twice and fell forward to heave out a lung of nasty, burnt tasting water.

Wallace swam through the now waning flames towards Logan and Eli. Logan was hopping free as Eli boosted Wallace out, only to follow a second later.

"Isn't California great? Where else can you go swimming this close to Christmas?" Logan asked, collapsing on to the cement next to Veronica, causing a stir of chuckles all around.

Veronica looked around in disbelief. But stopped when she got to Clarence Weedman.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

He smiled that demure and secretive smile that she had so come to hate. "Why Ms. Mars, isn't it obvious?" He lifted the phone to his ear. "I'm trying to earn my wings."

Then he turned away and began to speak. "Yes. My name is Weedman. I just wounded the E-String Strangler. I need an ambulance and police out to…"

Veronica looked away and around the crowd.

Eli was nodding at Wallace and imitating his life-saving block.

"Hell yeah." Said Wallace. "He never should have made this about b-ball." He shook his head at The Strangler.

Veronica made a mental note not to ask Leo why he had enough handcuffs for everybody.

Vinnie stood over her smiling down and suddenly Back-Up was licking her face.

Veronica stood up slowly and shakily, surrounded by a hail of friendly hands that offered to help.

"Thank you doesn't seem to cut it." She told them on the verge of tears.

"No sweat." Wallace waved at her dismisively.

"For you? Anything." Leo smiled, marching the little brother toward the elder.

"Nothin' but a think V. Nothing but a thing." Eli nodded.

"Anytime kiddo." Vinnie winked at her. "Anytime at all."

Logan smiled. "Always, in all ways… You know that."

And with the whoop of a siren below Lamb finally arrived.


	15. Ch15 God Bless Us Everyone

Dick Casablancas was originally shocked when he opened the cabinet and discovered that he had bought Logan a total of twelve gifts for Christmas this year.

The fact of the matter was that he was simply used to shopping for more people.

One by one he had wrapped them. And now, adorned in his Santa hat and carrying his pillowcase full of gifts over his shoulder he strolled down the back streets of Neptune.

One by one the gifts disappeared from his bag as he continued his travels.

He stopped by old friends of Cassidys … and left gifts.

He stopped at people he knew he'd hurt… And left something.

But soon the feeling ended and he found himself nervous and reluctant to go about completing his plan. Instead of bolstering his courage he found the whole plan faulty.

But he did it anyway.

He put the box on the back stoop and rang the bell.

Then he ran to the cover of the trees and pulled his beard over his face.

From where he was no one could see him.

A woman opened the door and looked down. She picked up the box and looked around.

"Cindy?" She called back. "Cindy, there's something here for you."

Mac swayed sleepily to the door and looked at the box. It seemed to wake her up and she looked at the card.

"To Cindy." It read. "From A Sorry Jackass."

She shook her head and opened it.

She gasped and her face lit up.

So Dick smiled… And slipped away.

Aaron was met with a chorus of cheers when he re-entered heaven. He was greeted almost as warmly as the three ragged and hell-sprung PCHers.

He threw his eyes immediately to the monitors and smiled, seeing that they had done it.

Meg flashed him a smile and Curly gave him an excited two-thumbs-up.

Lynn came up and hugged his arm, leading him through the throngs of partying and rejoicing souls.

"Think you're up for next year?" She asked him.

"You know I love a re-occuring role Lynn." He smiled. _And it felt pretty good too_. He realized.

Veronica turned to her chorus of friends." Do you think we can wait until after New Years to tell my Dad about this?" She asked.

Lamb smirked at her as he marched the younger two thugs away.

"I don't know…" Threatened Weevil. "I'm thinking, save the girl before Christmas… We might get better presents."

Everyone chuckled.

"I'm thinking… Spook my dad for Christmas and you'll be wishing you didn't save me." She insisted.

"Not possible." Weevil told her. "But I'll keep my mouth shut anyway."

Logan's phone rang.

"Hello?" He shook his head. "Trina? What? The Airport…"

"I left you a message that I couldn't make it on time." She explained. "Today has just been insane!"

Logan's face broke in to a crazy smile. "Tell me about it." He laughed. "I can be right there."

Logan went to leave but stopped himself and looked at Weevil. "Can I drop you somewhere?" He offered.

Weevil shook his head. "Thanks anyway. I'm good."

Logan nodded reluctantly. "Merry Christmas everyone."

Veronica looked like she wanted to say more but couldn't.

"Always in all ways Veronica." He smiled at her, turned, and walked away.

Aaron Echolls strolled leisurely back in to hell. _Damn_! He thought_. I forgot to find out what happened to Lilly!_

He went down the long, infernal corridors and past the damned landmarks until he came to the edge of one souls personal, private hell.

"Cassidy?" He called inside. "Cassidy, son… We did it."

There was no answer.

"She's going to be fine. She'll even come to forgive you in time now…"

Still there was no reply.

Aaron huffed twice. "You're only making this harder on yourself. Once a person will forgive you it's as though they have in the eyes of hell… You should be free now Cassidy! Come on!"

But there was no reply, save for the distant sounds of Cassidy's screams.

Aaron tried to enter but it rebuffed him.

"You'll be able to come out!" He called in to Cassidy's hell. "If you can just … forgive yourself… It's not so bad out here but…"

And Aaron shivered.

He spun quickly and walked away.

"But it can't be helped… If we cant forgive ourselves."

THE END


	16. Epilogue: Perchance to Dream

Keith Mars shook his head and pulled his daughter close. He held her tightly and kissed the top of her head.

"Dad!" She blushed as Mac smiled at the two of them.

"Don't tell me you didn't expect this." He told her. "You're lucky I'm not installing bars on all the doors and windows just to keep you in."

Mac blushed a bit herself.

"Come on Dad, go get dinner!" Veronica playfully pushed her father away and reluctantly, he went.

Veronica sighed. "Sorry about him."

Mac shook her head. "He's entitled." Then she swallowed. "You know… I had the strangest dream the other night."

"Yeah?" Veronica asked. "What about?"

"I'm not real sure… I think David Muran was in it. And maybe Aaron Echolls…" Mac looked down. "It was very strange. Like we were looking for something together."

"Did you find it?" Veronica queried.

"I don't know but… I woke up pretty happy, you know… Just to be alive and all."

"Yeah. I've had that moment a couple of times this week. And some dreams too…" Veronica suddenly looked distant and deep in thought. "I was hallucinating in that refrigerator."

"Really?" Mac hushed and waited.

"Yeah… I thought that Meg was telling me to find her baby and keep her safe… But that her baby wasn't really her baby. It was Lilly."

"Oh God, Veronica, that must have been intense." Mac held her breath with the thought of it.

"Actually…" Veronica smiled, a soft and lopsided expression of nostalgia and whimsy. "Now, I kind of think it's comforting. What if Lilly was back? If Duncan had her and was going to raise her as his daughter? I mean… Wouldn't it be awesome if love actually swayed the world like that?"

Mac felt her eyes tear up at the idea. "You know what I like best about an idea like that Veronica?"

"What?"

"No one in the world can ever disprove it."

The monitor flickered twice and went out.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Aaron shook his head as Veronica and Mac flickered off the screen. "Damn it!"

Laughter seemed to come from all around him despite being alone.

"Lilly's back." He realized. "On Earth."

He exhaled softly. "And worse yet… I needed Veronica Mars to spell it out for me."

And the laughter intensified and echoed.

Aaron sighed softly and shook his head as the laughter proceeded and the monitor flickered occasionally but refused to work properly. "Hell sucks." He decided out loud.

And the laughter echoed louder all around him.

Authors Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I loved hearing from you and hope you enjoyed the fic. And in response to the question about Aaron's status in the story – I kind of thought of him as a prison trustee. He had duties but was still on a short leash and had to return to hell come the end. As for why he got this status – I don't personally question God's design or casting choices and as we know – he gave Lynn the cast list. - Gestalt


End file.
